


Innocent Crimes

by Neuro707



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crimes & Criminals, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship, Organized Crime, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-06-28
Packaged: 2018-07-11 03:35:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7026895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neuro707/pseuds/Neuro707
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hawke and Varric are business partners about to open a club. When Bartrand makes off with all their money, leaving them unable to pay their bills Varric turns to Isabela his old crime pal. Will she be able to get them work to earn back the money that was stolen from them?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introduction

“Bela! Hurry up!” The white haired man hisses at his tanned companion.

Isabela cursed under her breath that his criticism isn’t making this any easier; she lifts the Tome of Koslun from where it rested on the pedestal, finally freed of the pesky confines. She grinned as she placed it carefully in her backpack before picking it up and returned it to its rightful place on her back. The woman adjusted herself, making sure it was secured to her back and looked up just in time to see a bullet hit her companion, Fenris in the shoulder and another in the hip. They must have been spotted. 

“Stupid bastard!” She ran over to him and managed to grab him and stop him from falling. “You can’t leave me to finish this on my own! You bloody idiot, you had one job. Come on, Fenris.”

Isabela could feel herself break into a cold sweat as she heard people approaching; the man, Fenris, managed to steady himself and looked at her with a smirk across his features, even though his eyes told of the pain he was in. Isabela couldn’t help but admire his strength as she helped stand him up more securely on his own feet. 

“It’s just a flesh wound.” He told her, which earned him a gentle slap as they made their way to their escape route.

“That is the last time I ever show you Monty Python, you stubborn idiot.”

The rest of their night after their escape was uneventful; they managed to flee the diplomat’s summer home with little resistance. The pair had been planning this for months and had every angle covered, they were professionals after all. They returned to their small rented apartment under the cover of darkness the night provided made it easy for the pair to move through the town. Fenris’ blood was made impossible to spot by his black clothes, to the outside world it looked like a girl carrying her drunken boyfriend home after a night on the town.

Once inside their home, Isabela threw her backpack to the side caring little about what was inside it, a couple of dents wouldn’t decrease its value. She threw him down on their sofa and started to rip his clothes off him in a state of frenzy. She was relieved to see the shoulder wound was a through and through, that would make it easy, the hip was little more than a graze.

“Isabela, if you wanted me you should have just said.” Fenris gave her a grin and made an attempt to inspect his own wounds. “I’ll be fine, I’ll stitch myself up.”

“No, I’m going to call Anders and I don’t want to hear a word against it!” Isabela put him in his place before he could even start, the pair weren’t famous for getting on but she didn’t care.

She tended his wounds, the one on his hip was more of a graze than anything, but it was the one on his shoulder that scared her. If it hit something important he’d be out of work for a while. Isabela searched her contacts after putting pressure on his wound, as her phone rang, Fenris’ sullen and sulky face at the mention of the doctor made her laugh. 

“Don’t worry; I won’t let him do anything inappropriate to you. Nothing you wouldn’t enjoy maybe.” The woman gave him a sultry wink.

“Shut up and call the so called ‘Doctor’, Isabela.”

~

Anders groaned as a noise woke him, he had fallen asleep at Varric’s table after a long night of Wicked Grace and drinks; he looked to his side and saw that some of the others had managed to pass out. Hawke was splayed across the floor in a rather precarious position with Varric. The Fereldan woman’s modesty was barely protected by the Varric’s coat; this was the result of the drunken and dumb decision to play strip poker.

Anders discovered the source that had woken him; it was his phone ringing loudly from his pocket, cutting through the pain in his head that promised to become a full blown hangover as the day went on. At this moment in time he was still a touch too drunk for it to have any meaning. He answered his phone without looking at the caller ID.

“Whoever this is, better be important.” He managed to grumble out in a human sounding voice. “You just interrupted a very fun time of being passed out drunk and that is just beyond rude.”

“Oh, Anders! How you disappoint me! Your darling mother! What did I do so wrong for you to grow up this way?”

Anders was completely thrown back for a moment, causing him to become incredibly sober in a very short amount of time. 

“Isabela?!” He barely managed to stop himself from shouting.

“No. It’s Andraste herself, who the bloody hell do you think? Now listen darling, I need the biggest of favours that can only be done by you. I said stay still! Are you deaf?!”

Anders was very thrown by what sounded like a small battle happening on the other end of the line. He blinked slowly and rubbed his eyes; he had not seen nor heard from Isabela in what felt like 2 years at least. 

“Bela, I don’t mean to be rude but, what have you done this time?” 

“Ordinarily I would be quite offended by that, but I’ll let it go this time. Listen, do you still live in Kirkwall?”

“Yeah… Why?”

“I need you to come to the address I’m about to text you and bring all your doctors stuff. Please, you’re my last resort. Shit! I have to go! Fenris-”

Isabela hung up leaving Anders completely lost until he got the address. It was in Lowtown, not far from his place. He was in an absolute panic, gathering his stuff and running out the door. He had every worst possible scenario going through his head. This was a lot considering how well he knew Isabela.

Anders was around at Isabela’s place knocking on the door within the hour. He hadn’t had much time to prep anything, he grabbed every piece of medical equipment he could carry or conceivably need. When the door opened and he saw Isabela looking tired and seemed to have blood all over her, she also looked more worried than Anders had ever seen her.

“Oh Maker, what did you do?!”

“You remember Fenris? He got shot on the job.”

Anders let out a very loud groan, he had completely forgotten about the thug she had attached herself to when they had last seen each other. He was some refugee with issues that he himself didn’t dare think of getting into. Every conversation they had ended up becoming an argument. Anders made his way to the man on the sofa and began to start his work, giving Fenris a small nod of greeting while he was met with a growl and a glare.

“Isabela, what you do is not considered a job. I don’t want details, that way I can’t be an accomplice when whoever catches you.”

Isabela glared at the back of Anders head as his magic hands made quick work of Fenris’ wounds. She put on some coffee and stashed their prize away carefully where it would not be found by wandering eyes. She finished pouring coffee and sat herself down beside Fenris. He had managed to fall asleep while Anders stitched his wounds closed, he had lost a lot of blood, more when he’d started struggling like an idiot when Isabela tried to keep him seated.

“He needs a hospital, Bela.” Anders accepted her coffee after he finished the last stitch.

“If he’d go, I’d take him. But he can’t risk it. I can’t make him go when I know the risks.”

Anders shook his head and chugged his coffee and reached for Fenris’, nearly choking on how sweet it was. 

“How is he not a toothless diabetic?!”

Isabela laughed softly and ran her fingers through Fenris’ sliver locks gently; he didn’t look anywhere near intimidating as he was when he was awake. The tattoos and piercing green eyes were very intimidating to people who thought about trying anything with either of them. As Anders had once said about Fenris, ‘He’s scarier with the tattoos.’

“He’s not that bad, it’s just how he likes his coffee. Anyway, thank you Anders. I’ll pay you, I know that everything you’ve just used and asking you to come out here like this isn’t fair on you.” The brunette thief looked up at him sadly. “I’m really grateful for this.”

“Don’t worry about it, its fine.” Anders ripped off his gloves and put away everything he needed to, carefully discarding everything else. He would dispose of them properly once back at his clinic. “I don’t want your money. I did this as a favour to a friend. I’ve missed you.”

Isabela stood and reached out to hug Anders and they laughed when they realised she had then covered his lovely white shirt in more blood than had been on it before.

“Sorry about that… Fen will have some clothes you can take, I’m sure it’s the least he can do. You know, you saving his life and all.”

~

Hawke awoke feeling more stiff and sore than she had in a long time; she and Varric had drunk themselves into a stupor with a small group of friends the night before as a celebration. All their hard work had paid off and finally she had managed to find a way to make a name for herself in this city. With the help of her trusty friend, Varric and his less than kind brother, Bartrand, she had saved enough to become their business partner in a new nightclub. It wasn’t what she had originally wanted to do, but it was better than carrying on working as a smuggler. 

“Hawke, you’re looking a little green there, buddy.” Varric’s voice came from above her as she struggled to find a way to sit up without making herself sick.

“Well, I’d say she was more pale than green. I’ve never seen anyone turn green. Unless it was with face paint … or you became The Hulk!” Merrill chirped cheerfully from across the room, throwing Hawke her t-shirt.

Hawke couldn’t help but smile at Merrill, her adorable and naïve nature always brought a smile to her face. She found it hard to believe the woman was the same age as her when she came out with these gems. Hawke pulled on her t-shirt and found her pants hanging off of one of Varric’s bookshelves.

“I promise you I’m not becoming The Hulk or any other kind of green monster of death and doom.” 

“Oh, that’s good. You’d ruin your clothes and Varric’s house. I don’t think Varric has any clothes for you to wear so you’d have to go home naked!”

Hawke grinned at Merrill and managed to get herself on her feet and gratefully took the coffee Varric had made her. She grabbed her pants and pulled them on, not bothering to button them up. She made her way to the sofa and sat down, drinking the coffee and checking her phone. She found many missed calls from her mother and twin siblings. It was probably about her not coming home last night, as often as it happened her mother still worried and always dragged poor Bethany and Carver into it. 

The eldest Hawke child sent out a message to her family ensuring them she was safe and promising she would be home tonight with good news. After she finished her coffee and had managed to return to a more human version of herself, she looked around to observe the damage they had done to poor Varric’s apartment.

“Hey, where did Anders run off to? Is he in the bathroom?” Hawke laughed softly, imagining the sometimes prudish blonde having a hard time holding his liquor. 

“No, he left early this morning, called into work. Blondie’s always working these days. Sometimes I’m surprised he manages to turn up to anything. Anyway, I’ve got to go to sort out some business stuff. Sit down, Hawke. The last thing I need is you puking on the contractor or even better Bartrand. Help yourself to anything in the kitchen, there’s still coffee on. Hawke, have you still got your key?”

Hawke nodded and gave Varric a very quick hug, watching the man that had become her closest friend since she had come to Kirkwall leave. She made her way to the kitchen and began to make herself and Merrill breakfast. It had been a fun night of cards and drink, even Aveline and Donnic had come over for a couple of drinks. Donnic due to his great skills cleaned out the pot on the table and leaving. 

“Oh, Hawke! Are you making eggs?” Merrill came skipping in and sat on the counter top beside the counter.

“Yep, just the way you like them.”

Hawke and Merrill sat at the kitchen bar and ate breakfast; Hawke was always so impressed with how Varric’s apartment looked so lovely. But the apartment building outside looked like it was all about to fall down, but inside it was gorgeous. Hawke herself had looked at a couple apartments out of curiosity, while her mother attempted to sue the life out of the attorney that divided her parents’ assets and gave them all to her brother, instead of to Leandra as the will stated. 

Hawke herself didn’t really want to live in the big manor and put on airs, pretending she was so great. She wanted to live alone or with friends, she had a hard enough time blending in without being the heir of the Amell estate. Merrill reached forward and shook her hand in the daydreamers face.

“Are you alright, Hawke?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I’m just a bit distracted; I can’t believe I’ve managed to save up enough money to be a legitimate business owner. No more protection money and slightly… Okay, incredibly illegal jobs. Anders will finally stop telling me off for acquiring stab wounds.” Hawke chuckled and rested her head against Merrill’s shoulder. “There’ll be a bartender job for you as well if you want it… I won’t make you carry on with the uh… the less than glamourous life of crime.”

“Hawke, you’re so sweet. I would love to have you as my boss, especially in a more legal capacity. That might make my landlady stop giving me looks when I come home at ridiculous hours.”

The girls finished their breakfast and cleaned the plates; Merrill made her way home. Hawke jumped into Varric’s shower, she had started to spend a lot of nights with her friend to get away from the vicious arguing at home. Carver hated her for it, constantly accusing her of running away from her problems and dumping them on him. Bethany on the other hand said nothing, but Hawke knew it hurt her too.

Hawke let out a loud sigh and tried not to think of the problems that had been on her shoulders for the last few years. She stepped out of the shower and dried herself off. The last year of not much food and a lot of hard work had made her surprisingly well built. She had acquired muscles she didn’t think her body was capable of having. She laughed at what looked like abs; they would probably disappear once her hard work was over now. Hawke contemplated maybe taking up a more strict exercise routine to maybe keep them and then shook her head, making her way to her bag to get dressed.

Once dried off and dressed Hawke made her way out of Varric’s apartment, locking it up behind her and making her way to the area of town they’d bought a building for the club they would be opening. As she approached she saw Varric sat on the couple of steps leading up to the buildings back entrance, she gave him a big grin and waved. That was when she saw the woman come out from the back entrance and sit beside him, she wrapped her arms around Varric and Hawke froze. 

The woman was a gorgeous tanned brunette, Hawke had never met her before. She was dressed in revealing clothing and showed off every curve of her body. Hawke caught herself staring and decided to keep moving forward, none of them had noticed her yet, that’s when she started to catch snippets of the conversation that was happening between the pair.

“What am I gonna do, Rivaini? He took most the god damn money to start another business adventure who knows where! That son of a bitch… Sorry Mother.” 

“Sweetie, don’t worry your pretty little head too hard. You’ll think of something, you always do. I might be able to help you out.”

Varric looked so incredibly pale and yet furious at the same time, Hawke felt her heart drop into her stomach so fast it hurt. 

“Varric… Are you okay?” She managed to get out before the nausea started to build inside her.

Varric looked up at her and Hawke saw the bloodshot eyes; had her friend been crying? She knew then that this was serious; she had pieced together her own assumptions from what she had heard. But it was best that Varric told her exactly what had happened before she flew off the handle and started a manhunt for what sounded like a treacherous business partner.

“He’s gone, Hawke, the money too. Bartrand cleared us out while we weren’t looking. I’m sorry, kid. I should have known he’d pull some shit like this.”

Hawke felt herself begin to shake with rage and her vision go red. She was furious; she couldn’t believe that Bartrand would do this to her own brother. She attempted to steady herself by sitting on the step beside Varric. That was when the panic set in. The money was GONE. All of that hard work, and now for nothing. Her head began to spin and before long darkness claimed her as she passed out.


	2. The Plan

Isabela’s morning had been uneventful after Anders had left her apartment to return to his clinic. She had dragged Fenris to his own bed and left him to sleep it all off. Anders had reassured her that their stubborn friend would be fine, he would need lots of rest and Anders would come and check in on the pair tomorrow. He gave Isabela the usual spiel of what to do and more importantly what not to do. She smiled, nodded in agreement and waved him off, knowing full well that Fenris would do as he pleased and she could sit back and say the words ‘I told you so’ to her hearts content.

Isabela sat down at her laptop and pulled out the Tome of Koslun, the buyer would be incredibly pleased she’d managed to get it. But the competition out there for this particular item was intense. She didn’t dare advertise that she had it. She was a good thief; she was proud of how good at her job, but not stupid enough to advertise what she’d stolen. It was more likely for people to steal from her than buy from her.

As Isabela opened up skype and looked for the name she needed. Castillon. A man she had known for a long time, crossed once or twice but that was a personal disagreement on how he conducted his business. He didn’t necessarily know it was her that crossed him, he couldn’t prove it but he had suspicions. But the coward wouldn’t act on them, not while she had Fenris around. As she waited for him to answer her video call she noticed a text on her phone from another old friend. It brought a smile to her face, as she reached for her phone the familiar answering noise startled her.

“Isabela, are ready with your excuses now?”

“Ha-ha. Get your boss, Hayder. I don’t discuss my business with lackeys.” Isabela drawled out looking bored, she and Hayder had a long standing disagreement; mainly on principle, also because he was trying to prove her treachery to Castillon.

“He’s out right now, but I’ll be sure to pass on your excuses for as to why you couldn’t do your job again.” The man mocked her.

“Piss off, Hayder. I have the stupid book. Now be a good little boy and get Castillon to call me when he gets back.”

Isabela hung up the call before the man on the screen could begin his pathetic response to her glorious wit. She pulled out her phone and looked at Varric’s long text.

Varric:

Heard you’re in town, might have a job for you. Bartrand’s out done himself in the bastard older brother department. I need you to find him. My contacts are silent on this. He has a large amount of money, some of which I’ll happily pay you if you can bring me that bastards head. Come to my new bar in Lowtown, it’s a building site at the minute, you can’t miss it. 

Isabela:

I’m on it. Any last known locations? Where would he run to?

Varric:

He’s probably running to Orzammar. He’s obsessed with that place. I’ve already turned down his place; I think that was the last place he was seen. Thanks, Bela. I owe you one, big time.

Isabela launched herself off the sofa and walked into her bedroom. As she stripped herself of her dirty clothes, she remembered to write a note for Fenris and leave it with him. He was likely to be out for a while, plus if she was still out when he woke up he would likely panic. It wasn’t that Fenris couldn’t look after himself; he was just likely to go off wandering looking for her and get himself lost in these unfamiliar cities.

Once Isabela was dressed in her best and a quick short note written for Fenris, she made her way out of her apartment and into the large city of Kirkwall. She made her way to the Bartrand’s estate. Technically she knew it was the family estate, but Varric hadn’t been able to stand living with his brother after he became of legal age. 

Isabela let herself in; the place had been left unlocked after Varric’s people had stripped it bare. She was looking for one thing, how much Bartrand packed would tell her which way he was travelling to Orzammar. If he’d packed lightly he was going on the train, if he’d packed a little more he’d be driving or taking another more roundabout way.

Isabela had noticed that only small amount of things seemed missing, a lot of personal valuables and effects left behind. Maybe he had left in a hurry, with Varric’s people on his tail. Isabela knew Bartrand himself didn’t drive, or at least hadn’t when she had last been in Kirkwall. A quick text to Varric confirmed it and she was on her way to the Kirkwall train station. 

~

After an hour of searching Isabela discovered due to her extra talents that Bartrand had left last night rather than early this morning like Varric thought. She made her way through the part of Kirkwall called Lowtown, not the most creative name but it did suit the lovely little part of town quite well. She walked into the building site to find it dead, there was no one working at all. 

Probably due to the fact Varric’s bastard brother had made off with the workers’ wages.

“Varric?” Isabela called out hesitantly. 

“Up here.”

Isabela hesitantly stepped over building materials in her expensive heels; she was slightly regretting wearing these knowing she might have to walk through a building site. If only the workers were here, she could have seduced one or maybe even all of them to carry her up to Varric like a Queen. She giggled to herself quietly at the thought of a sea of men delivering her to Varric.

Isabela stepped into what she could only assume was Varric’s office, what gave it away most was the hideous decorations that he loved. He had a crossbow mounted on the wall, normal people would think it was a display item but knowing Varric it was fully functional. As she turned away from the crossbow she spotted her friend slumped at his desk with what looked like an almost empty bottle of whisky. 

“Oh, Varric…” 

“I bought it for Bartrand; it was going to be a gift. A little present to say ‘Well done us for coming so far’. I can’t believe that bastard! He runs every bit of the family money into dead businesses and now he steals from me and my friends. What am I going to do now? Hawke’s going to be devastated. She poured every damn penny she had to her name into this! She’s got nothing!”

Isabela slid onto the desk next to Varric and ran her hands through his dark gold locks. She always remembered Varric as a sweet talking, suave gentleman. He could have any woman he chose but now he would do nothing more than sweet talk, even Isabela herself couldn’t get him on his back.

“You’re still carrying everyone else’s problems on your shoulders, Varric. When are you going to learn?” Isabela spoke softly as she stared out the window. “He left for Orzammar last night, looks like an overnight train journey. I can reach out to Zev. He’s back in Fereldan now so he could try and track him for you. He owes me a few favours that I could call in.”

When Varric didn’t even register the slightly dirty joke nor have any kind of retort she knew it was time to drag him outside for some fresh air. The brunette gently led him out of the building and he sat on the steps outside with a thud. While standing over him she could see how badly this whole ordeal was hurting him personally. Isabela had never really gotten along with Bartrand but he had been Varric’s brother. When Varric looked up at her with the most devastated bloodshot eyes, she felt what little of a heart she had break for him. 

“What am I going to do, Rivaini? He took most the god damn money to start another business adventure who knows where! That son of a bitch… Sorry Mother.” 

“Sweetie, don’t worry your pretty little head too hard. You’ll think of something, you always do. I might be able to help you out.”

That’s when Isabela looked up to see a young woman approaching them, she had such pale skin. Definitely a Fereldan, she was well built but not so stocky that it was all you could notice. Hawke as Varric called her had short black hair and the most piercing ice blue eyes. Isabela thought she was beautiful, but she kept her hands and opinions to herself. For now anyway. 

As Varric tried to explain Isabela watched the young Hawke’s reaction to the news. She recognised instantly the panic attack going on, she’d seen Fenris have them a couple of times. Isabela wasn’t surprised when the pale woman in front of her hit the deck, she’d seen that happen more times than she could count.

Isabela lunged forward to catch her before Varric even thought of it. She managed to soften Hawke’s fall slightly. Isabela looked up at Varric and gave a small smile.

“So where do we put sleeping beauty while we wait for her to come around?”

Varric called a taxi to take them back to his place, when they arrive at their destination the pair carry Hawke to his bed. Isabela makes a rude joke and finally she gets her first smile from Varric all day, she was glad to see her friend was still capable. 

Isabela sat herself down at the end of Varric’s bed and looked at the woman she had known for all of half an hour. Not that she really knew her at all; she’d simply stopped her from getting a concussion as well as passing out really. 

“So how did she manage to steal your heart from Bianca? I’m so hurt. I thought only I stood a fighting chance.”

“Bela, you know there’s no one who can fill my Bianca’s shoes. I met her through my contacts at the Merchant’s Guild. Athenril had her working for her for a year, paying off some debt. She’s one of the best hard workers you’ll ever meet and she’s the only smuggler I’ve ever met that could turn it into an art form. She’s never fucked up a job ever. Hawke’s the best friend and business partner I could have asked for. What do I do Bela? I’m going to have to sell everything I own if I wanted to make that much money back.”

“I potentially could help. I’ll tap into my contacts and you into yours, there’s got to be a couple of well-paying gigs in a city this big. We’ll get your money back Varric. From Bartrand or we’ll build it back up again ourselves. I have to go I’m afraid, my sweet.” Isabela leans in to press a kiss to Varric’s cheek and giving him a tight hug, burying his face between her large breasts. “But I’ll be in touch.”

~

When Fenris had finally come round he jolted out of bed in a blind panic, this wasn’t uncommon. The excruciating pain he felt in his shoulder when he had launched himself off the bed however had made him fall flat onto his face. It was only then that the white haired man realised that he was at home and safe. It took another few moments for him to recall the previous night’s events.

Dragging himself onto his bed, he pulled off his shirt and gauze to admire the stitching that Anders had done. As much crap as he gave the doctor he knew that without the man he’d have probably died once or twice. Fenris stood on his own feet and still felt strangely light headed from the blood loss and shock of being shot. It had been a few years since he’d been hit by a bullet last, but it was not a feeling easily forgotten. 

Fenris lay back down on his bed; he gathered that Isabela was out otherwise she’d have come to laugh at him falling on his face. Which he wouldn’t have blamed her for; he’s returned that favour many a time. Why that frustrating woman insisted on wearing heels out every day was beyond him. Especially if it meant he was going to have to give her a piggyback home anyway. He saw the note on the bedside table and picked it up. She must know he was illiterate by now, whenever they went anywhere he would just order what she was going to have to save face. He crumpled up the note as the feeling of shame built inside his chest. 

Enjoying the silence of having his friend of out the house was what Fenris loved to do on days like today. What shocked him was when he heard the door open and not a single declaration or iteration of ‘Honey, I’m home’. He waited patiently a couple of seconds, before grabbing the metal bat from under his bed. Isabela called him paranoid for having one. It was times like this he disagreed.

Fenris stood slowly, careful to move without making a single sound. As he reached his bedroom door he saw the familiar face that would make Isabela furious. Hayder stood in their home with his filthy paws on her precious and probably important things. Fenris left the comfort of his bedroom and approached Hayder.

“What the fuck are you doing in my home?!” Fenris growled menacingly, his grip on the bat tightening.

“It’s Isabela’s guard dog! Come on, mutt. Roll over like a good boy.”

Fenris saw red and noticed that Hayder had the Tome of Koslun in his hands. He didn’t dare hit the man while he held that, he wasn’t that intent on killing the smug bastard. Hayder was just jealous because Isabela found him downright repulsive and had rejected numerous attempts for him to date her.

“Put that down, unless you have my money.” 

“I’m not going to pay you anything. You’re going to go lie down like a good boy or I’ll put you down like the rabid mutt you are. We both know that your old boss would pay a great deal to have your head delivered.”

At that Fenris finally lost it, he swung at Hayder only to miss the man’s head and hit his shoulder, tearing the stitches in his own shoulder open in the process. Fenris cursed loudly at the pain, only to have his legs knocked out from under him by Hayder, who stood clutching his shoulder and holding the book to his chest. The sharp pain of the back of Fenris’ head hitting the corner of the coffee table and then the floor rendered him unable. Hayder took that opportunity to run, leaving Fenris on his back. 

Every time Fenris attempted to move, sharp pains ripped through his head. He reached back to touch the back of his head and felt wetness. He pulled his hand forward in front of his face to see blood and closed his eyes tightly, attempting to block out the pain.

“Fenris! Shit!” Isabela’s voice made him open his eyes, he realised he didn’t know how much time had passed. He could have been lying here for hours.

Fenris managed to sit himself up with the help of the woman in front of him. Isabela spotted the blood and grabbed a cushion from the nearby sofa for him to rest his head on.

“I’m fine, Bela. Where did he go?” Fenris asked blearily as he looked at his partner, the blurring of his vision was not a good sign.

“Who was here? I didn’t see anyone on my way in.” Isabela started to panic and looked around the room, searching for where she left the tome.

“Hayder. He took the book, I tried to stop him but I forgot how bad my shoulder was. I’m sorry, Bela. I know how important this job was to you.”

“Shit, shit, shit!” Isabela screamed as she began to pace. 

Instead of getting angry she pulled out her phone. Fenris tried to stay focused on Isabela as she began to pace. He wanted nothing more than to close his eyes but he had a feeling that would not end well for him. 

“Hello?” The tentative voiced answered on the other end.

“Paging, Doctor Anders. Your patient needs you. If you get here in the next hour I might feel inclined to wear the sexy nurse outfit.”

“Oh god, what have you two done now?!”

Isabela laughed as she heard the blonde doctor scramble for his things.

“It’s easier to explain in person. Now hurry up, your stitches it turns out don’t do well under pressure. Fenris apparently thought that he could beat someone up with a bat. Results aren’t good, concussion and no stitches. There’s probably something else knowing him.”

Isabela hung up before the blonde man could lecture him, but the small squeal of indignation he heard made a smile appear on her face. She didn’t need the rant both over the phone and in person, especially not with her current mood. She had one friend in the bottle and the other almost in pieces.

“He took the god damn book!” Isabela screamed, throwing the first thing she grabbed into the wall. Which unfortunately turned out to be was Fenris’ favourite coffee cup. 

“We’ll get it back.” Fenris tried to reassure her. 

Isabela turned to him. Her eyes ablaze with a fire Fenris didn’t see very often. Pure rage was evident in her face. The Isabela everyone saw was so laid back and so very rarely did anyone see the woman beneath. She wasn’t someone you crossed; most people learnt that the hard way.

“You’re damn right we will.” She told Fenris, lifting him onto the sofa and sitting beside him.

Isabela began to worry as she watched Fenris drift unconscious. She’d needed this to smooth things over with Castillon, but now it was going to be impossible. She pulled out her phone and selected the contact she needed. After a couple of rings that felt like forever the call for help was finally answered.

“Hello, Lucky.” Isabela flirted shamelessly. She was going to get that book back, her life depended on it. “I need a favour.”


	3. Finding Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawke and Varric start looking for work to cover their business' bills and expenses.

Hawke rolled over and glared at the sunlight that assaulted her eyes when she tried to open them. She didn’t want to be awake, she rarely ever did. She buried her face deep in the pillow, wondering why the back of her head felt so sore. She didn’t remember hitting her head. That’s when she recalled going to the Hanged Man, seeing Varric and…

“Shit!” Hawke curse, screwing her eyes shut as tight as she could as she tried to contain the panic building inside herself. Maybe it was an awful horrid nightmare and she’d dreamt the whole thing.

“You’re awake then, good. We need to talk.”

Hawke’s eyes opened to see Varric sat at the desk in his bedroom. She sat herself up and tried to wipe the sleep out of her eyes. Varric was sat in front of his laptop and stacks of papers looking incredibly stressed.

“Was I out long?”

“It was about half an hour, maybe more. You’re fine, had Anders come and look at you. He confirmed your head is still hard and stubborn, no injuries, maybe a bruise. But Hawke, the scandal of your fainting fit. What would people say if they knew the fearsome smuggler Hawke was easily felled by a petty theft?”

Hawke buried her face in her hands and felt the bed sink slightly as Varric came to sit down on it. He turned so he was facing Hawke, the sadness and stress was evident in the bloodshot eyes. His normally tidy and well-kept hair was a mess from running his fingers through as he racked his mind for a solution. He lifted his friends face and smiled at her. That was when Hawke saw the Varric before her and was shocked by how much one day and one bastard brother could change a man.

To summarise, Hawke thought Varric looked like shit.

A silence settled in the room as the two stared at each other, they both struggled for words. Hawke stood and composed herself, not wanting to sit in Varric’s bed and sulk, she wanted action. But she didn’t know what action. Yet. Hawke turned to face Varric and met her friends tired eyes.

“Drink?” She suggested with a small smile.

“Drink.” Varric nodded and smiled back at his roguish friend.

Varric lead the way to his kitchen and poured them both a glass of whisky, they sat across from each other at the expensive breakfast bar. Hawke ran her finger over the counter top. She’d never seen Varric clean the place but it was forever spotless. When the drink hit her hand she emptied the glass in one and passed it back to Varric, as the burning warmth of the alcohol seared her throat and chest. He refilled it dutifully as Hawke began to plan.

“Right, I have a little more money I’d stashed. It was for Bethy and I to go shopping next weekend. She’ll understand, I hope. Not much, but a start until I can get more work.” 

“Keep it; I’d hate to see Sunshine disappointed. Anyway I pulled some strings and I’ve managed to, uh, liquidate some assets for quick cash and I’ve covered the workers’ pay for the work they’ve done and the rest of this week. After that, we’re screwed.”

Hawke ran her hands over her face and stared at the wall as she desperately searched her mind for a solution. She could fix this. She would fix this and get her life back on track. It had all been going so well. Hawke chastised herself for not being more careful.

“I’ll reach out to Athenril, she always has work. She pays shit but it will help. Other than that I haven’t got a clue. You got any work you can line up or did we destroy the criminal economy?

Varric gives Hawke a slightly worried look. Hawke frowned at her best friend, when Varric was worried it was time for the whole world to panic with him

“What?” She asked hesitantly as she took a smaller sip of her whisky.

“I’ve got a job… It’s from the Viscount.” 

The silence crept back into the room once more as Hawke was stunned by this news. The Viscount. The political power of Kirkwall wanted to meet with her, a common criminal. She leaned in close to Varric and stared at her friend intensely. The job was probably a hard one, a difficult one and while she was desperate, they both were desperate. There were some things even she wasn’t prepared to do.

“What the hell could he want?” Hawke asked Varric.

“His boy has fallen in with that Qunari gang. He wants us to bring him home, willingly or kicking and screaming. Either way, it’s good money. Winters are on it though, so we’d have to do it now, that means this ones your last drink, also get your shit together. We’re going to fix this Hawke. I’m sorry about Bartrand. I knew he was a bastard, but I didn’t think he was that much of a bastard.” 

Hawke finished her drink and sauntered around the breakfast bar to wrap Varric in the tightest of hugs. Hawke loved hugging Varric but that was mainly a drunk activity or for when she’d been turned down again. 

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Varric. Come on, let’s get to work. Let’s go play catch the spoiled rich kid.” 

~

When Hawke returned to her Uncle’s home, she was exhausted. Fighting with the Winters had been a bad idea, but they’d gone too far as they always had. But she’d gotten paid, even been given more for keeping her absolute discretion. As it turned out Saemus Dumar had not run away from his lovely mansion to become a common criminal, just to sleep with one.

Hawke felt nothing but sadness as she saw his love had been stabbed by the Winters psychotic and blood hungry leader, Ginnis. Hawke had knocked her out and left her with a couple of injuries. But in the process she’d gained herself what would probably be a black eye and some very sore fists. Saemus on the other hand had gained a broken heart and a very uncomfortable conversation with his father. 

Hawke entered the hovel her Uncle Gamlen called home and walked straight into the kitchen, she hoped nobody was up at this time of day. The job had ended around about 2 in the morning and the trip home had not gotten her here until 6. She pulled out her phone and dialled Aveline’s number. While she waited for her redheaded police friend to answer she searched for the first aid kit and pulled out a bag of frozen peas to put on her face.

Aveline’s phone went to voicemail and Hawke let out a loud sigh as she listened to the most generic voice mail message ever created. At the beep Hawke was pulled out of her mocking and forced to remember why she called her friend.

“Hey Aveline, I heard a weird story about how the Winters killed one of the Qunari. I heard it happened just outside the city near the Wounded Coast. I’ll see you soon, don’t be a stranger.”

Hawke hung up and opened the first aid kit and looked up to see her Mother stood in the doorway of the kitchen in her dressing gown. Hawke froze in place as she made eye contact with her mother. Even after all this time, the ‘angry and disappointed’ look that she got for her escapades managed to make her into a child before her mother’s anger.

“What was it this time? Bar fight? Robbery? Or a good old fashioned mugging?” Leandra Hawke’s angry voice cut through the tense silence of the kitchen. “I’ve been worried sick, you didn’t come home again!”

Hawke stared at her hands, unable to meet her Mother’s gaze out of shame. She knew that her Mother meant well, but simply waiting to have their home and inheritance returned to them wasn’t going to feed them or put clothes on their back right now. Gamlen drank all his money while her mother worked dead end retail work to provide for her kids.

“I didn’t think you’d be home. I’m sorry. I’ll go up to my room.” 

Hawke gathered up her things, the tension in the room only got worse as her Mother walked right past her without looking at her. Hawke had never felt so rejected in all her life, she tried not to take it personally. But ever since they moved here all their mother did was take all her frustrations out on her eldest. 

“I think you should stay at your ‘friends’ for a while. I don’t want you influencing the twins with this; they both look up to you and want to spend time with you. But all you want to do is embarrass me with your stupid schemes. You don’t even bother to look for a real job, or carry on with school.”

“You know what then, I won’t buy food or help pay the rent anymore then, Mother!” Hawke screamed from frustration. “I’ll be at Varric’s.” She said more quietly.

Hawke left the first aid kit table and put the peas back on the table. She looked at the time and decided there was one place she could go at this time get a decent drink. She didn’t bother to say goodbye, she just crept out of the house without waking anyone else.

Hawke left the house without another word to her Mother or from her. They’d done nothing but argue ever since Hawke tried to put her family in a better place. Kirkwall had an influx of refugees after the civil war in Ferelden got worse. Hawke’s own hometown was destroyed because of riots. Hawke had tried to look for an honest job but nothing paid better than what she was already doing.

Hawke’s feet guided her to where she needed to be. She was stood in front of her bar, or what would hopefully one day be her bar. She didn’t want to be a criminal forever, some days she didn’t even want to do it at all. But with her mother obsessed with how great her family used to be and the twins hating every second of living in Kirkwall, Hawke had to step up. So she did.

Climbing through the worksite wasn’t hard. The builders had left their tools and materials strewn across the place after a hard day’s work. Varric was better at that side of it than Hawke could ever hope to be. She tried to learn from Varric but none of it made any sense to her, so she let her friend be the brains behind it all. 

Hawke reached behind the bar and pulled out a bottle of beer. She sat on the bar as she opened up the bottle. She would have this drink and then go sleep in Varric’s desk chair upstairs. The place would be great when it would finally be open. Varric had planned out the whole area and Hawke had stepped in to decorate after Varric tried to go with a fantasy theme. 

“You must be, Hawke.” A voice called out interrupting her thoughts. 

Hawke looked to see the same beautiful woman from the day before. She stood in the doorway looking around. Hawke sat up slightly.

“You’re that friend of Varric’s he told me about. Sorry about yesterday, I didn’t have a very good reaction to the stress.” Hawke explained feeling embarrassed about her fainting.

“It’s alright, happens to us all. I’m guessing Varric isn’t here then? I’m Isabela.” Isabela walked closer to Hawke, impressing the boozing woman with how well she could walk around a building site in heels. “I have a job for Varric, you as well. I had something stolen from me, something that I stole myself. It’s mine and I want it back. I went to his place but he wasn’t there.”

“Yeah, we just got back from another job. He might not be home yet, I barely got home myself.” Hawke stood from the bar and reached for another beer to offer to Isabela, the woman shook her head and Hawke put it back. “So what are we stealing back from who? Also how well does it pay? I have bills and a dog to put through college.”

Isabela gave Hawke a wide grin and approached the beaten woman standing.

“Why don’t we go get more than a liquid breakfast and talk it out?”

Hawke put what was left of her beer down and made her way to Isabela. Isabela offered Hawke her arm and Hawke took it laughing. She liked Isabela so far, Varric had told her some things about the woman from Rivain and the many misadventures they had been on in the past.

“Nowhere too fancy, I don’t think they’d appreciate this look I’m rocking today.” Hawke joked as she tried to touch her face to see if any swelling had started.

“Honey, you look gorgeous to me. I know just the place, they make the best coffee you’ve ever had and the breakfast pastries are to die for!” Isabela told her and squeezed her new friends’ hand, leading her into the streets as they lit up from the dawn light.


	4. Conference of Thieves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Isabela and Fenris host the gathering as they find the help they'll need to get back their goods.

Conference of Thieves

Fenris hated Isabela. No. He despised Isabela. In the very pit of his black and tainted soul, he knew what Isabela had done was out of cruelty and had no love in it at all. Fenris nearly growled as he heard the banging around in the kitchen. He could just hide away in his room and ignore the invader of his personal space, but he didn’t think he should have to hide away in his own home.

“I made breakfast! Stop hiding in your room like a stroppy teenager!” The cheerful voice came from his kitchen. 

Fenris let out a growl and got up from his bed. He made his way into the kitchen towards who Isabela had asked to look after him. The same man who had been here more times than Fenris cared to allow in the last few days. As he stood in the doorway of the kitchen he could already smell the delicious pancakes.

“What have you put in them? I don’t trust you, Anders. I won’t take all those painkillers.”

“There’s nothing in them.” The exhausted blond told the injured man before him. “Honestly, if you read the labels of what I’m trying to give you, you’d see they’re just painkillers.”

Fenris didn’t respond to Anders, he simply sat in front of his plate of pancakes and started to pick at them carefully. He would check every bite before he ate it. Fenris knew he gave Anders much of a hard time, but he’d dealt with people in his position before. He had all the training required to be a doctor but had dropped out and become a mob doctor. Fenris remembered the ‘doctor’ Danarius had and tried not get too worked up. He knew he couldn’t read, so he’d give Fenris things to take that he didn’t need and the end result was an addiction to some prescription medication. 

“Why do you hate me so much? I’ve never done anything wrong to you. Isabela was right about the big chip on your shoulder.” Anders turned away from Fenris and carried on making coffee. “There’s some medication on the side in bottles. I promise you what they say on the labels is what they are.”

They elapsed into silence; it was not comfortable for either of them. Anders pulled out his tablet and started doing something on there. Fenris eventually picked through all of his breakfast and drank his coffee down. The silence during the entire time they had been sat there hadn’t gotten any more comfortable. That’s when Anders phone rang, Fenris went to go wash dishes and clean the kitchen as Anders answered the phone.

“Hey. No, he’s awake and grumpy as ever. The knock to the head didn’t do anything to improve his dazzling personality. Okay. I’ll tell him.”

Anders hung up and looked at Fenris. Fenris glared back at Anders. Anders sighed and cleared up his stuff.

“In an hour Isabela is going to be bringing Varric and Hawke over. They’re going to help you get back whatever you had taken. I don’t want to know anything more than that, that way when Aveline asks me I don’t give you all away and have to visit you in prison. She also wants me to tell you to have the place looking presentable and that I have to help you. Also you have to play nice with me or Bela says you lose privileges. I don’t want to know what they are, I’m sure that knowledge will sully my innocent boyish charms.”

Fenris growled and began to clean up the blood that had been left all over their living room. He had managed to chip the glass table with his head. Anders had got as much of the glass out as he could find. But with Fenris refusing to go to a hospital there wasn’t anything else they could do. If there was any glass left in his skull they would have to worry about that later. As Fenris got on his hands and knees to scrub the bloodstains out of their furniture, he couldn’t help but wonder who this ‘Hawke’ was. It was not a name he was familiar with.

Isabela was once more making friends and trying to force them on Fenris. It wasn’t that he hated people; it was that he didn’t like having them in what he considered his personal space. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Anders helped clean up the rest of the apartment. Anders he didn’t like because he was a doctor. Varric he did like, he liked Varric a lot. Whenever they came through Kirkwall for work he liked to go and drink with the shady businessman. 

Hawke however he didn’t know. This was a new name to pop up on his radar. If it was someone Varric was friends with or working with they couldn’t be that bad. Isabela had told him about what had happened to Varric and Fenris felt bad for Varric. He knew how much it hurt to be betrayed by family. The memories of the pain his sister caused him, selling him out for a reward when he turned to her for help. That had changed him, he’d become embittered working for Danarius, but he didn’t learn to hate until he watched Varania try to sell him.

Within an hour the apartment was spotless and all blood stains removed. Fenris wasn’t sure how well it was going to go over with him there. He’d never been all that good with people. Isabela had been different; she had been trying to get into Fenris’ pants for well over 6 months before they eventually became friends. It wasn’t that Fenris didn’t find her attractive, she was gorgeous. But Fenris was trying to change for the better as much as possible. That meant recovering from his old habits, sleeping around being one and the other, a much darker and harder habit to break.

“Hey, you want another coffee?” Anders called from the kitchen which he seemed to have completely cleaned.

Fenris nodded and mumbled thanks as he made his way to Anders. He looked down at his scarred hands; thinking of the past was never wise. He just tried to keep moving, but more often than not he found himself repeating the same mistakes from his past. He often fantasized about the idea of finding love and having a family, but reality was he didn’t know how to be anything other than hired muscle and being illiterate made him useless at anything else. 

Anders appeared before him holding out coffee. Fenris would never be able to admit how jealous he was of Anders. He was a mostly educated man who could choose to do anything with his life. He could have become a real doctor. Fenris drinks his coffee and looks at the clock. They had a little while before Isabela would return home. Fenris finished his coffee in the awkward silence building in the kitchen.

“I’m going for a shower.” Fenris told Anders as he made his way to the bathroom.

“Okay, be careful with your stitches.”

“Yes, Mother!” 

~

Hawke and Varric walk into Isabela’s apartment. Instantly Varric lets out a whistle of appreciation. Isabela’s apartment is beautiful; it’s decorated in a modern style with beautiful white sofas. Hawke could tell that she was catching flies and tried to form words to say what she thought of Isabela’s place. But they sounded far too dumb. She just wanted to sit in Isabela’s living room and stare at the pretty pictures.

“Well, Bela. You have definitely gone up in the world. Looks like you’re going to be able to retire soon?”

“Me? Retire? Varric, you know that’s never going to happen! I’d die of boredom. Poor Fenris wouldn’t know what to do with me! Not for lack of suggestions.” Isabela said with a wink.

Hawke found herself staring at all the elaborate art that decorated her apartment. She wandered around looking at all of the silly decorations Isabela had decorated with. Then she heard Anders’ voice and it almost scared the life out of her.

“Anders? What are you doing here?” Hawke asked in disbelief, exchanging hugs with the blonde almost doctor.

“I’m babysitting a patient for Bela.” Anders explained. “Fenris got a couple of boo-boos and as punishment Bela wanted me to follow him around and remind him to be careful.”

As Hawke was about to ask who, when a man came out of what she assumed to be the bathroom, he had a towel wrapped around his waist. Hawke couldn’t help but stare, he was covered in tattoos that just showed off how well built he was. He wasn’t ridiculously stocky, but she could tell that he was all muscle. For the first time since moving to Kirkwall Hawke felt attraction. She looked away, blushing and decided to go back to staring at the art, which Hawke realised was more nakedness. She’d never been so embarrassed in her life.

“Anders! Give me the pills, I got shampoo in the damn cut!” Fenris cursed clutching his head in agony. “The ones that stop the pain!” 

Anders cursed and walked over to Fenris, grabbing a few bottle off the side.

“What did I tell you?” Anders muttered as he dragged Fenris to the sofa, checking the back of his head. “I told you to be careful, do you remember that?”

“I heard you.” Fenris growled as he felt Anders check his stitches. He winced when he felt the stabbing pain inside his head. “Just give me the drugs, Anders.

Isabela sighed and went to get a couple of bottles of wine. On her way back she gave Fenris a bottle of water, and took out the right pills to give him. She puts the wine on the table before looking straight at Fenris. 

“What did I tell you? I knew you’d need a babysitter, you can’t be trusted. Now come on, after Anders is finished go get dressed. Don’t want to flaunt your goods for free.” Isabela told him with a grin.

Fenris let out a loud sigh before giving Isabela a look. Anders declared he was done with Fenris and the man quickly made his way out of the room. While Fenris was sat there, Hawke had a good chance to admire the man’s half naked state. He had a couple of injuries that Hawke recognised as bullet wounds. She had never been shot herself, but she knew what it looked like.

“Right!” Isabela shouted as she held up wine glasses. “Let’s get to business.” 

They gather around on Isabela’s sofas. Hawke guessed from the way Isabela watched Fenris that they were a couple. Hawke mentally slapped herself at the idea of a man that attractive being single or even interested in a refugee living in little more than a shack. She gratefully takes the wine from Isabela and sips at it. She’d been alone since before her Father died. She did have a good Christian boyfriend that her mother approved. But it was doomed to failure, after the first time they had sex he started talking about how evil it was that they gave into lust. 

Then her family fell apart with the death of her Father. That was the last time Hawke even tried to have a boyfriend. Sebastian had tried to come and comfort her. But with everything that was going on, she wasn’t having it. She just didn’t want to hear any of it. Thankfully Isabela snapped Hawke out of her stupor.

“Okay, so Hayder is the idiot who stole what I rightfully stole for myself. Basic rules of theft, I stole it first so it’s still mine. However I need that item to square a debt with his boss. Now try to follow me, this is where it gets confusing. Hayder has taken it because he’s a bit of a bitter Betty. Anyway, we need to find Hayder before Castillion comes to pick up what I owe him.” 

As Isabela had explained she looked increasingly worried. She played with her glass and stared at the wall. Fenris walked up behind her and places his hands on her shoulders. He had dressed in some loose jogging bottoms and t-shirt. Isabela looked up at Fenris and the two shared a look and a smile. He ran a hand through her hair.

“We’ll fix it, Bela. I won’t let Castillion near you.” He reassured her gently.

“I know.” Isabela sighed. “Right, Castillion has a house here in Kirkwall. If Hayder is anywhere he’s there. I can’t get close enough; you two might have a better chance. He knows my face, but he doesn’t know you two. All I want is for you to get back the book. If Hayder gets in your way don’t hesitate to fight back, he won’t let you get away easy. He wants Castillion to kill me or worse.”

“Is this about the shipment?” Varric asked hesitantly. 

“Shipment?” Anders frowned looking at Isabela. “I thought you didn’t do smuggling.”

“This is why. Yeah, he found out it was me that reported that shipment to the authorities. He wants me to prove my loyalty.” Isabela sighed and Fenris refilled her glass when she emptied it. “I’m a criminal. But even I have morals. I found out Castillion was asking me to drive a truck full of people. He wanted me to help him with human trafficking. I reported him and now he knows it was me. So yeah, steal the book and I get to keep my career and my life.” 

Fenris continued to rub Isabela’s shoulders and gave her a small smile. Varric cleared his throat and pulled out his phone, he began texting away. Hawke knew this was him gathering as much information as possible on these two men. Fenris stood and want to fetch takeaway menus from the kitchen.

“How about we get some food? That way we can talk more over details.” Fenris suggested as he looked at the strange new woman. She was very quiet this whole time, and if he thought someone was quiet then that never meant good things.

“Sounds great!” Isabela shouted as she took the menus from Fenris handing them out. “Plan later, eat now. We can all get to know each other.” Isabela gives Hawke a wink. “I know a couple drinking games that loosen some lips.”

~

“I can’t eat another bite!” Varric declared as he leans back against the sofa, rubbing his stomach.

“Me neither.” Anders and Fenris said at the same time. Fenris glared at Anders, Hawke could barely tell if it was jokingly or not. The two had been bickering all evening.

“As Hawke and I are both women, I think we can both agree that we cannot adhere to the traditional gender roles. We are hard working women, so I think that you three should clean the plates while Hawke and I prepare the drinking game!”

All three of the men shook their heads as Hawke and Isabela laughed. Hawke grinned and finished her wine. The men cleared the plates and went into the kitchen. Isabela fetches a load of plastic shot glasses and pulled out a bottle of vodka. She grins at Hawke.

“Have you ever played ‘Never have I ever’?” Isabela asked as she set out ten shot glasses on the coffee table in front of each seat.

“No. But I know the game. Ten shots, we all say something we’ve never done and then everyone who has done it takes a shot.”

“That’s my girl. We’re going to become great friends.” Isabela poured out all the shots and waited for the men to return. Once everyone was seated and Fenris sat between Isabela and Hawke. “Okay, here are the rules. We all have 10 shots, we’re going to go around in a circle and share things we’ve never done. We continue until we have a winner!”

“This will be so easy.” Anders says with a smirk. 

“Don’t be such a prude, Blondie.” Varric shared. “I’ll start. Never have I ever kissed a man!”

Isabela, Anders, Fenris and Hawke all took a drink, leaving Varric chuckling. Isabela elbowed Fenris and Anders both. 

“Come on you two, share!”

“No.” Fenris said quietly.

“My ex’s name was Karl. We met in Med School. But then he became a surgeon and left me for a cute nurse.” Anders said with a pout.

“I’m sure you’d make a much cuter nurse than whoever that was, Anders.” Hawke said with a giggle. “You’ve certainly got the legs for it as we found out at Rocky Horror!” 

Anders stared at Hawke open mouthed, clearly that was meant to be a bit of a secret. He gave Hawke an evil grin. 

“It’s like that is it, alright, Hawke. Never have I ever flashed an entire theatre full of people!”

Hawke alone drank and giggled quietly to herself as everyone stared at her, waiting for an explanation. She sat up and began to tell her tale.

“Okay, so Anders and I went to go see Rocky Horror Live together. Of course we go dressed up, Merrill came along too. She made the most adorable little Columbia! Anyway, Anders was our very own Frank N. Furter. I was dressed in a skirt and corset, anyway as I stood up to go to the toilet.” Hawke and Anders erupted into a fit of giggles and the other all started in anticipation. “I flashed the entire theatre; my skirt was stuck to the seat! We were in the front row! Everyone saw me, but I got a couple of very nice compliments and one phone number!”

They all laughed and Hawke still felt embarrassed about that whole ordeal, but it was in front of a large crowd of strangers who would never see her again. She had gotten over it quite quickly. Hawke sat up and leaned forward looking at the group of friends gathered. 

“My turn, never have I ever had sex in public!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter is late this week. They cut off my internet even though I paid the bill. That was a fun hour on the phone. Anyway, all constructive criticism is welcome. Thanks for reading.


	5. Party On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the party at Isabela's ends, the rest return to Varrics to continue on.

“I win!” Isabela declared as she danced barefoot on her own dining room table. Fenris shook his head and tried to pull her down. Instead she jumped into Anders’ lap. “So, what do I get if I win?” 

“Bela, you only won because you didn’t play correctly. You’re meant to say things you’ve never done not that you have done… Wait does that mean you lose?” Anders was very drunk after clearing off seven out of his ten shots.

As the two began to paw at each other the others made faces, looking at one another with a shared thought. It was time for the evening to end; midnight was growing closer and they all had busy days the next day. Fenris cleared his throat loudly and managed to distract the two horny adults. Isabela grinned at him and took the hint.

“I’m going to bed… Anders?” Isabela called gently as she made her way down the hallway. “Are you coming?”

Hawke had known Anders for nearly a year, but she had never seen Anders move that fast. Fenris sighed loudly when the two gave their farewells and heard the door to Isabela’s bedroom slam and lock shut. The silence it left didn’t last long as the giggling came down the hall from behind the closed door.

“I need to invest in a good pair of earplugs or buy soundproofing for Bela’s room.” Fenris shares as he finishes off the shots left in front of him of which there weren’t many. 

“I’d go with earplugs. They certainly helped me when we went on a road trip around all of Fereldan.” Varric suggested as he joined Fenris in finishing his own shots. 

“I’m going to guess that you two aren’t a couple then? Or if you are you’re a very liberal couple.” Hawke enquired curiously, the alcohol giving her a bit of Dutch courage. She joined her friends in finishing her shots she’d been the one who had five shots sat in front of her. She’d learnt the hard way that she hadn’t experienced as much of her friends.

“No.” Fenris told her with a small laugh. “There isn’t a man or woman in this world that could make Isabela settle down. She’s very drunkenly assured me she would love to marry many men, but that wouldn’t last past a day. She’s my friend but she isn’t my type.”

As Fenris finished speaking a loud moan came from down the hall, the three shared a look and finished their shots. Varric stood and searched for a number on his phone. Hawke slowly managed to recover from the burning sensation of straight vodka rolling down her throat.

“Hawke, are you staying with me tonight?” Varric asked.

“Yeah, Mother and I are still not getting along. She wants me to be a good girl and settle down.” Hawke sighed quietly and gave Varric a desperate look. “As long as I’m allowed to stay, as soon as I get on my feet I’ll get my own place.”

“Don’t worry about it, Hawke. Fenris, you want to come along too? Get away from all this noise and we can carry on drinking. If I remember you play a great game of Wicked Grace. You cleared out half the table last time we played.” 

“I’m a little rusty. Are you trying to make off with my money again, Varric?” 

“Broody, I’m hurt. Of course I am.”

Fenris stood and crept down the hallway to get a coat and shoes. Hawke felt herself suddenly become nervous. But she couldn’t describe it; it was almost like she was a young teenager with a crush once more. The very pit of her stomach felt heavy. But she knew it was solely based on how attractive Fenris was. Which he was, she couldn’t deny it. She enjoyed looking at him but she wasn’t about to jump into bed with him. 

“Hawke? Hawke!” Varric waved his hands in front of his partners face. “Get your head out of the gutter, you got about as much chance as bedding Broody as you do getting Isabela to become a nun! Now come on, let’s go get drunk and play cards. The taxi should be here.”

“I don’t want to sleep with him!” Hawke hissed embarrassingly as she tried to control her blushing.

Fenris returned to the front room and the trio made their way out of the apartment trying not to pay attention to what their friends were doing in that room. Fenris locked the door behind them and buried his hands in his pockets. He hadn’t planned to go out tonight but it was better than listening to that. As they all climbed into the taxi he tried not to think about how long he’d been alone for, there hadn’t been anyone since Danarius.

He wasn’t sure there would be again.

“Fenris?” Varric snapped Fenris from out of his daydream and into reality. “Do you want to stop anywhere to get something to drink? I have beer and whisky, I know you prefer your wine.”

“Yes. I hate beer. I don’t know how you drink it.”

“Oh, Broody.” Varric laughed and shook his head as they pulled up at a 24 hour store near Varric’s home. “No one drinks beer for the taste.”

“Hey! I object to that! My Father taught me lots about beers and the different tastes.” Hawke told Varric elbowing him as they poured out of the car. “He was a connoisseur, or so he claimed.”

“I’m sure he had the best taste in beer. But I’ll stick to my whiskey.” 

“I will also stick to my wine.”

The three walked into the store and Hawke crept off down an aisle on her own, leaving the two men to argue alcohol in the aisle. She opened up her wallet and began to count the money she had. A horrible feeling of dread washed over her as she realised once more she’d not kept enough money for herself. She’d poured most of it into the business and given some to the twins. What little she had left she knew would need to last her until the next job.

Hawke found a very cheap selection of beer and picked it up. Beggars couldn’t be choosers and she wasn’t about to start complaining now. She had to focus on the future on how well her business would do once opened and how it would go from there. The young business woman she would become would make her Mother proud. Or so she hoped. It had been a very long time since they had been able to talk without arguing.

“Hawke! Come on! You’re taking forever!” Varric called from the check out. “Broody, go get her, She’s probably got caught window shopping again.”

Fenris nodded leaving his two bottles of wine with Varric as he wandered to find their female companion. He found her holding a small crate of beer that made Fenris wrinkle his nose. He’d never like beer; it always reminded him of the idiot thugs he had to work with on a regular basis. 

“Varric is eager to get going. Is there anything else you need?”

“No, no. I just got distracted. Let’s go!” Hawke told him, trying to be happy and bubbly.

As the pair walked to the check out in awkward silence, Hawke racked her brain for a topic of conversation the two could share. He was a man who didn’t like beer, covered in tattoos and very, very handsome. 

“So, do those tattoos go all over?” Hawke asked curiously.

“I don’t tell all my secrets to women I’ve just met.” Fenris told her with a small smile. “But I’ll tell you there are a lot of them.” 

Hawke did everything she could not to melt at that voice. That voice! How was she going to drink with this man without throwing herself at him like a complete hussy? Not that being a hussy was bad. She just didn’t need that to be another thing her Mother said about her. When they finally reached the checkout Hawke let out a breath she didn’t even realise she had been holding.

“There you are, Hawke. I thought you’d fallen into another dimension or something. Now come on, give me that beer and you can start carrying other stuff.”

“It’s okay, Varric. I’ve got this.”

As the bickering argument broke out between the two over who would pay, Fenris found himself completely bored by watching them; He instead snuck over quietly and paid for everything himself. Once that was done, he handed Hawke her beer and Varric his whisky. The look on their faces almost made Fenris laugh, they looked completely shocked for about a minute and then they turned on him. 

“You didn’t have to do that, I had everything under control.” Varric complained.

“Fenris, thank you. But let me pay you back.” Hawke told him as she searched for her wallet.

“Don’t worry about it. I don’t want to be paid back, I just want out of this shop and into this bottle of wine. So let’s go.”

Hawke and Varric shared a look, before Varric simply shrugged and followed after Fenris. Hawke picked up her beer and followed suit. 

~

As they all settled down in Varric’s living room, Hawke loaded her beer into the fridge. She was surprised to find she still had some of her favourite left her. She pulled it out and smiled. Good old Ferelden beer, her Fathers favourite. She took one out and opened the bottle before returning to the living room with glasses for the men. Hawke landed herself on a beanbag, settling in comfortably as Varric dealt out cards.

“So, you two are going to start an official business? Does that mean you’ll be giving up the life of crime for good?” Fenris asked as he poured himself a glass of red wine. 

“No. I’m only in this for the money. Once that business is up and running I just want to look after myself and my family without everything falling apart around me.” Hawke took a swig of her beer and picked at the nibbles that Varric had put on the table. “Maybe then my Mother will give up the idea of getting her old house and old life back.”

Fenris looked at the pair in confusion, feeling out of the loop on this one. Varric shook his head. It was better not to ask, Hawke and her siblings didn’t want to be part of high society or go back to owning massive corporations. Hawke was happy to have small businesses and simply go back to having a home that the four of them could fit in without a fight.

“So Fenris, you and Isabela seem to still be going strong as a team. It must have been 2 or 3 years at this point. Are neither of you tempted to stop?”

“Sometimes.” Fenris mused as he took a sip of his wine. “But I don’t know how to do anything else. I’ve been doing this work since I was a child. There’s not that much for children in Tevinter, unless your family can afford to pay for your education.”

“Really? In Fereldan it’s mandatory, or at least it was. With the civil war happening I’m not sure what’s happening. The fight for power is what drove us to leave. They tried to draft me into their war, but we left.” 

Hawke finished her beer and went for another. As she walked through the kitchen she heard Varric start to talk about growing up in Kirkwall. He had never left the city of his birth. Hawke had been born in Fereldan. Leaving had been so hard, especially after everything it took to get out of that country. Hawke pulled out two beers and looked at the time. It was fast approaching 2 AM. As she approached the living room she sat back down.

“Maybe we should start to make a plan of action for this job. If you guys know the guys house or the lay out that would be a massive help, we could plan around any kind of schedule he has. Or worst case scenario we put Varric in drag and send him in there to seduce him.” 

“Why do I have to dress up? Why can’t you dress like a lady and do the seducing?” Varric humoured Hawke with a small smile. 

Fenris on the other hand was struggling not to laugh at the ridiculous image of Varric in all his hairy glory dressed as a sexy woman in a tight fitting leather skirt and with large cleavage. He completely lost it when he looked up to see Varric blowing kisses his way.

“Oh, come on Varric. You’re a handsome man and you’ll make the most gorgeous girl. I can’t even figure out how to look like a real girl!” Hawke shouted gesturing to her physique. She had normal sized breasts, some days she wished they were as big as Isabela’s but it wouldn’t suit her. She was always in slightly tight jeans, a t-shirt and her favourite leather jacket. “I’m not exactly the type of girls who could seduce a crime lord. Hell, I probably couldn’t seduce any of the girls at the Rose even if I paid them.”

“You’re not that bad.” Fenris said speaking up, finishing off his wine and pouring himself another. “You’re not Hayder’s type. You’re much more refined than what he goes for. He likes easy women, he probably frequents the Rose. You could probably pay for some information on him or for one of the girls to do the job for you. That’s always a risky way to do things. Last time Isabela and I did it that way; the girl made off with our goods and tried to run. We got them back but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t without hassle. Either way whatever you do, we’ll pay you for the return of the item.”

Hawke was trying her best not to blush or become a blubbering idiot. She shoved food into her face and drank to stop herself from saying something stupid. She completely drifted out of the conversation for a time, thinking about someone complimenting her. It made her feel a little funny, warm in a weird way.

“Hawke? Hawke? Did you hear anything I said?”

“Sorry, Varric. I’m getting tired. I might go to bed.” Hawke finished her beer and ran a hand through her hair. “Night, guys. Am I alright to take your spare room, Varric?”

“Take mine, Fenris can have the spare and I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Hawke simply nodded and took her last beer to bed, bidding the men goodnight with a small wave. As she walked to the bedroom, she felt herself becoming heavier as the last few days events started to build on her. She undressed down to her underwear and climbed into bed, opening her final beer. She sat in the bed and looked at her body. There were scars everywhere, from being stabbed, from getting in fights and from fleeing her home. Since Sebastian she hadn’t been with anyone, some nights it got so bad that she would debate going to the rose. But she was too embarrassed to be found out.

Hawke sipped at her beer and picked up her phone, flicking through the contacts. She had made many friends since moving to Kirkwall, but her family had fallen apart in the process. With a small sigh she took a large swig of her beer and lay down, staring at the wall. As she drifted to sleep all she could think of was Fenris saying she wasn’t bad. Maybe there was hope for her, maybe not with him. He could have any woman he liked. Not her.

~

“What’s her story, Varric? She’s definitely different.” Fenris asked as he sipped at his wine. The woman had definitely caught his attention. There weren’t many women in their line of work and she wasn’t like any he’d ever met. 

“Well, Broody. It’s a very long story and some of it isn’t mine to tell. She worked for Athenril and I heard about her through my network, I snapped her up after hearing about her efficiency. That’s when she told me she didn’t want to be doing this forever. She wants to do this until she can settle and maybe she’ll return to school. She wants to study business.”

Fenris nodded and looked down the hall to where Hawke had disappeared. She was definitely different. He liked that. The pair had a few more drinks and eventually both settled down into bed. Fenris got into bed and found himself still thinking about her. He shook it off and rolled over; he had nothing to offer her. Even if she was the lowest criminal there still wouldn’t be anything he could do. He resigned himself to a lonely life on the run and that wasn’t about to change because of one woman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who comments and leaves Kudos. Again any feedback welcome.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in a long time and this is my first time writing anything Dragon Age. Any constructive criticism is appreciated. Thank you.


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